Toby Was A Sad Dog!

This also is not one of our dogs. He belongs to a Punch and Judy man, but we made his acquaintance last summer at the seaside. Pat and he became very friendly, so we saw more of Toby than we should have done otherwise.

Toby was a sad dog. He always looked unhappy, which was rather against him in his profession, for it was his business to amuse people. At the same time he worked hard, and bit Mr. Punch’s nose at the right moment, and after that he collected money in a little tin which he held in his mouth, and he never forgot to wag his tail by way of saying “thank you.”

He was still more sad when we were leaving, but we hope to see him next summer, so as to cheer him up a little. Needless to say, we never hear from him; after all, he is not the same class as our dogs.

8 thoughts on “Toby Was A Sad Dog!”

This book is all about snobby dogs. Can you imagine trying to sell this kind of story today! Did you have a nice boxing day. I actually went to an after Christmas sale (well, it was mandatory – again pleasing others). I have only one more holiday task – party for 50 on Saturday. Not my idea – yes, pleasing others. I can’t wait until this one final holiday task is over.
Hi Ho,
Elephant

I’m sometimes snobby myself (even though I come from a working class NJ neighborhood). It’s fun to think of snobby dogs–but it would never fly today. I know being a snob is wrong but there’s a fine line between snobbishness and standards. I guess it comes down to “not judging” other people for their lack of standards–kidding.

When I first married my husband I went to the church he’d attended and the women there got it into their minds that I broke up his previous marriage (not true–I wasn’t in the picture at all). Anyway one of them came up to us and gave all the kids big sloppy hugs and then she turned to me and signaled that I was next so I went with it and she hugged me. Then she said, “Boy, Adrienne, you’re a real people pleaser.” She said this very judgmentally.
Sometimes you have to please people or you want to because you love them. .

Did I reply to this people pleaser comment? I can’t remember but it was interesting to re-read it. I may be a people pleaser sometimes, but I can be terrible – to this woman I would have been very unkind!
Elephant